Days before Monday's season opener, the Padres unveiled their 2009 lineup. The team's new chief executive, Jeff Moorad, applauded the rookies.

“I'm really pleased with the selection,” Moorad said.

He wasn't talking about the team's hitting, pitching or fielding.

Major-league injuries and minor-league finances – the New York Yankees'payroll is almost five times that of the Padres – could mean a painful year for San Diego fans.

But the dismal economy is challenging Petco Park's executive chef, Eric Borgia, and his staff to deliver cut-rate staples and cutting-edge fare. Last month the franchise announced the 5-for-5 deal: a hot dog, peanuts, popcorn, cookie and regular soft drink for $5, or $10 if you swap the soda for a beer.

More demanding diners know they don't have to eat at the ballpark. An upscale smorgasbord awaits in the Gaslamp Quarter and East Village, right outside Petco Park's turnstiles. So the Padres hope to entice fans with seafood tostadas, coconut shrimp with cucumber-mango slaw, an antipasto plate and those softball-size cupcakes topped by generous swirls of buttercream or cream-cheese frosting.

“We're definitely trying to keep up with all the current trends and basically be cutting-edge,” Borgia said. “We're competing with any restaurant anywhere.

“The days of pre-wrapped hot dogs are pretty much over. We're trying to make it fresher and have more interaction with the guests.”

Innovation, though, comes at a price. The new pork chimichanga, for example, will set you back $14, while a single cupcake goes for $6.50.

The cupcakes – which come in several flavors, including red velvet, lemon and s'mores – were Borgia's idea. He was inspired by the growing number of bakeries devoted exclusively to the diminutive cakes.

Capitalizing on San Diego's proximity to the border, the Padres also will introduce a street-style taco stand where the pork will be roasted on a spit and then chopped to order. The taco stand, located in the Park at the Park beyond the outfield, will operate during Friday and Saturday games.

The Mexican influence also will be seen in the aguas frescas; a “San Diego Caesar” salad with a chipotle-cilantro dressing; and the Sonoran hot dog, a spicy frank wrapped in bacon and tucked into a split potato bun stuffed with pinto beans, diced tomatoes and onions, then slathered with jalapeño sauce, mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise.

Moorad said he had no say in the new menu items, but they're in his wheelhouse: “I have a soft spot for anything Mexican.”

This attempt to win fans with food isn't just a San Diego phenomenon. In New York, at the new, $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium, guest chefs will include Masaharu “Iron Chef” Morimoto and aces from Elaine's and Le Cirque. At the Mets' new Citi Field, celebrity chef Danny Meyer will counter with his fabled Shackburger and frites.